Maggie Ramold | Contributing Writer

With spring break 2013 just around the corner, many students have been changing their eating and exercising habits to get a perfect spring break body before reaching warm, alluring destinations such as Myrtle Beach and South Padre Island.

Although students want that “quick fix” when it comes to losing weight, especially during the last few weeks before spring break, the effects can be damaging in the long run. Issues such as eating disorders can arise from students doing absolutely everything to get a so called “perfect body.”

Director of Health Services & Wellness Tami Laursen, has seen weight-loss concerns with students every year around spring break.

“Many students who are concerned with their weight want to lose it and fast. Losing weight is hard work, and it takes time,” Larsen said.

With so many diet fads around these days, such as pills and shakes, students are lured into the idea that weight loss can be easy.

“All of these new diet fads might work fast, but it is so easy to gain back the weight that was lost or even gain more. Once they lost all the weight they wanted, they go back to eating just as they had before, and this is where the weight is gained back. Not only that, but you don’t learn proper ways to eat healthy when all you do is take a pill or drink a shake,” Larsen said.

In order to lose weight in a healthy way, Larsen suggests students need to learn eat healthy balanced diets that include a small portion size, fiber and protein, and to stay away from fatty foods and sugars. The combination of eating healthy and exercising daily can help students receive the results in a healthy way, along with learning healthy habits they can continue throughout their life.

Preparing for spring break is a perfect opportunity for students to produce healthy eating and exercise habits they can use for life. The perfect spring break body everyone is looking for can be done in a healthy and fit way. Learning these habits can make the warm beach a comfortable and relaxing place to spend spring break 2013.

“To get ready for spring break, I have been trying to eat healthy and wholesome. I’m a vegetarian so I usually do eat healthy and exercise because I think it’s more of lifestyle, not just something for spring break. But, because of my recent back surgery, I haven’t been able to be active, so I have started Body by Vi shakes to get into spring break shape,” junior Jordyn Livingston said.

For other concerns dealing with spring break, check out the spring break safety booths during the week of March 18-23 located next to the servery:

• Safe Sex Booth on Tuesday, March 19.
• Survival Kits on Wednesday, March 20. Mandy Boothby will also be doing pledges to sign to be safe during Spring Break.
• Spring Break Safety Tips on Thursday, March 21. Topics will be identity theft, credit card theft and cellphone safety.

Graphic by Keyla Sosa